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Get Control Of Your Passwords-Episode 88

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Get Control Of Your Passwords-Episode 88

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Great tips:
*howsecureismypassword.net--good to use to check how good your password really is
*just adding in characters or numbers can make it very hard for your passwords to be cracked--the longer the password the better
*come up with some words or phrases that when you string them together as a passphrase, your password would be more secure (applebananapearplum would take 23 million years to crack)
*keep your passwords weird and long
*do not bunch certain characters
*change your passwords often
*not the best to use sites where they can automatically log us in like Log in using my twitter account or my google account
*use LasPass or 1password and install the password extension into your browser--can store all password under one password vault--has good security measures

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Good reminder that packets are not only the ones we print out but can be digital too if there is no added benefit to it.

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Listen to this post as a podcast:
Sponsored by Screencast-O-Matic and Microsoft Hacking STEM

I saw a video a few months ago that I haven't been able to get out of my head. In the video, a high school student named Jeff Bliss stood up in the middle of class and basically expressed his frustration to the teacher in the room:

Okay, now let's get something out of the way: Yes, this student was disrupting class and his behavior is disrespectful. I will acknowledge that. On the other hand, we don't know exactly what happened before the camera was turned on. Based on what he says in the video, my guess is that Bliss had just voiced some kind of concern, the teacher told him to quit complaining, and at that point, I guess he'd had enough.

What I have gleaned about Jeff Bliss from the internet is that at the time of the video, he was an 18-year-old sophomore. So apparently, at some point, he had not been successful in school. For some people, this takes away his credibility. For me, it makes him an even better source of information about why school isn't working for some students.

Disruptive behavior aside, the content of Bliss's outburst tells me that his teacher's primary mode of instruction is through packets. This was what got me. This is what made me watch this video six, seven, eight times over. Because I just believe him.

I believe him because I've seen it. I've seen classrooms where teachers deliver instruction overwhelmingly through worksheets, or packets of worksheets. I have seen my own kids' schoolwork come home, and I have asked friends, other parents with school-age kids, and colleagues who consult in lots of schools, and nearly all of them tell me that a lot of our students' instructional time is being spent hunched over some kind of worksheet.

That's a problem.

I want to spend some time looking at this problem from all sides: What distinguishes a "busywork" worksheet from something that delivers real value, why teaching with worksheets is usually not the best choice for learning, the reasons teachers default to worksheet teaching, and what other learning experiences would be better for our students.

Not all Worksheets are Created Equal

Let's start by agreeing on some terms.

First we need to define what we mean by "worksheet." Technically, a worksheet is anything printed on copier paper and given to students to write on. And since you can print just about anything on a piece of paper, we really can't say that worksheets per se are good or bad. That would be like saying "books" or "movies" are good or bad. It's a medium. A delivery system.

And there are plenty of instructionally rich things you can do with a worksheet: A graphic organizer is a wonderful tool for research, pre-writing, and notetaking. An excerpt from a primary source can be printed on a worksheet for close study and annotation. Worksheets can be used for analyzing data (like this collection from Maria Andersen), as scaffolds for notetaking, as tools for reflection, or as formative assessments. They can also be used as recording tools alongside more active experiences: data sheets for labs, planning sheets for group projects, and so on.

In my experience, when people criticize worksheets, they are referring to a specific type of worksheet, what I will call a busysheet, the kind where students are either doing work that's fairly low-level recall stuff-filling in blanks with words, choosing from multiple-choice questions, labeling things-or work that has no educational value at all, like word searches, word scrambles, or coloring stuff in cases where coloring adds no extra layer of understanding.

Sometimes the difference between a busysheet and a quality learning tool is obvious, and other times it's a judgment call. After talking to lots of educators about how they use worksheets in their classrooms, I think it's most accurate to say that every worksheet falls somewhere on a continuum: Some worksheets are clearly nothing but busysheets, while others, like note-taking sheets or data collection tools, directly support student learning; I'll call these powersheets. I think a lot of worksheets fall somewhere between the two. Because there is such a range, the only person who can really make the call is you.

Packets, to be clear, are simply a bunch of worksheets stapled together. They could contain a lot of powersheets, but when a student refers to them as frickin' packets, it's highly likely that they are mostly made up of busysheets.

Possible Busysheets in Disguise

Some formats have come along recently that have the potential to deliver the same kind of work we find in busysheets, only they don't always look like it. While each of these certainly could offer instructional value, they could also be just another way to keep kids still:

Computer programs or apps that have students performing the exact same activities we see on busysheets.

Interactive notebooks: These vary widely in quality, with some offering true interactivity and others just offering the same value of a worksheet, just colored, cut, and pasted into a notebook.

HyperDocs: If these are thoughtfully designed, they have the potential to offer wonderful variety, exploration, and differentiation, but they could also just be a new way to organize busywork.

The Problem with "Busysheet Teaching"

"Busysheet teaching" is when we use busysheets in place of other, better forms of instruction. This type of teaching might take the form of bell-ringers, homework, early finisher work, classroom centers, or even the main learning activity during regular class time.

So what's wrong with teaching this way?

It's disconnected from anything meaningful.
Busysheets isolate skills so much that students have trouble connecting them to real life. When a student sees little value in an activity, he is not truly engaged. Take this reading worksheet, which has students read a short passage about Maya Angelou, then answer four fill-in-the-blank questions about the passage.

This type of busysheet would most likely be used to teach reading comprehension or serve as a Black History Month activity.

Let's unpack these one by one.

Reading comprehension: Having students answer low-level recall questions about a passage of writing that offers no meaningful context doesn't do a lot to make them better readers. If the questions were more challenging, if they asked students to choose which textual evidence supports some particular idea, for example, that might move it up the continuum a bit more toward the power end, but is this the best way to give students reading practice? If students do this kind of work day after day, with passages instead of real books, they won't be reading enough. So much of what we call "reading instruction" is far inferior to having students read real books.

Black History Month: Giving students a packet of these types of busysheets-where the work and contributions of significant African Americans are reduced to one-page blurbs followed by some cute activity-is inadequate in so many ways. This article from Teaching Tolerance lists much more comprehensive and authentic ways to honor Black history in your classroom all year round.

It often misses the standards.
Even if they are labeled as addressing certain standards, the kind of work we see on busysheets often misses the mark. Take, for example, this typical grammar worksheet:

This type of worksheet, where students are asked to label or identify various grammatical constructions, has thrived for decades, and in the days before worksheets, it existed in the form of exercises from grammar books.

Apart from the well-established fact that teaching grammar outside the context of meaningful writing does nothing to help students become better writers, and in many cases makes them worse, the skills being practiced in this kind of worksheet don't actually teach or reinforce the goals set by our academic standards.

Here's what I mean: For convenience, I'll use the Common Core Standards as a reference. There is no mention anywhere in the standards of students being able to identify or label these verb tenses. Nothing. It does, however, require students to use them correctly in their writing. So it would make a lot more sense to show students these different constructions, then have them find places in their writing where they are using them. If they aren't using them anywhere, have them try it. They never ever have to actually know the names of the verb tenses or a whole lot of other grammatical constructions. Despite this, tens of thousands of students are required to complete busysheets like this every day. And I bet they get tested on the same kind of information, too. Meanwhile, little to no time is being spent giving them opportunities to use these constructions in their real writing.

It often has no instructional value.
By definition, a busysheet's goal is to keep students busy, not necessarily teach them anything. The most egregious types of busysheets are word searches, word scrambles, and and crossword puzzles, which might as well be a list of definitions with blanks next to them.

I have watched my own children do word searches for homework and stress out about not finding every single word because they would lose points. If there is any pedagogical justification for that, I certainly haven't found it.

It requires lots and lots of sitting still.
The more teachers use busysheets, the more students will sit and sit and sit. Yes, it's possible that there are teachers who use a lot of busysheets but have great alternative seating options in their classrooms, but my guess is that in most of the classrooms where busysheets are abundant, students are basically sitting in desks. This is far from ideal. In 2014, teacher Alexis Wiggins spent two days shadowing her students and was shocked to discover just how much time they spent sitting, and how exhausting that was. And we hear all the time about the studies that are confirming how dangerous it can be to sit for extended periods of time. So planning for extended periods of sitting, all day long, just isn't good for our kids.

It requires a ton of copying.
Anyone who has ever had to wait in line for a copy machine or found themselves staring desperately at a cryptic error message on the copier knows that relying heavily on worksheets wastes a lot of time and paper.

It gives you more stuff to grade.
Many teachers who use a lot of worksheets also grade them, calculating those points as part of a student's overall grade in a course. This approach creates two problems. One, it erases the value of formative assessment: If worksheets are meant to be used to teach students something or give them practice on skills they are learning, then why would students be penalized for making mistakes on them? I can see why teachers might give points for completion, but going through and marking wrong answers, then taking off points for something students are still actively learning is really missing the point: That's what summative assessments are for. The other problem is that this system creates a ridiculous amount of grading for the teacher. If you are going home with piles and piles of papers to grade, you're assigning too many things to be graded. If you can shift some of these activities from graded to "practice," you'll be giving students the practice they need without creating a lot of extra paperwork for yourself.

Why We Do It, and What to Do Instead

Teachers have a lot of reasons for leaning heavily on busysheets, and some of these may seem unavoidable. Let's look at the most common reasons, along with some ideas for what we can do instead.

1. No Textbooks, No Tech

If your school is short on materials and technology, it may be necessary to use printables to build your curriculum. Much of what we learn comes from reading things, so if you don't have good science textbooks, for example, worksheets and handouts can serve the same purpose. What's important is that we do this thoughtfully.

Even if you download a whole unit or curriculum, only use the parts that are going to provide value to your students, rather than just marching students through the whole thing.

Beware of cute: Some materials are so beautifully designed, they may make it hard to notice if they're thin on quality learning. If you can get both at once, awesome, but always scrutinize for the learning first.

Not all students need the same materials: Consider making some handouts and worksheets available to students as resources, rather than giving everyone the same stuff. Show them how to select the materials they need and where to store them for future reference.

2. Skills Practice

Many teachers use worksheets to give students practice in required skills. This seems to be most common in math (or, in the later grades, with things like chemistry equations). While this method obviously gives teachers some of the results they're hoping for, if you take a few things into consideration, you can probably refine the practice. Here are some questions to consider when heading to the copy machine:

How much practice is really needed? Does every student need the same amount of practice? Can they stop when they've had enough?

Would other activities be just as beneficial-or more beneficial-than practice problems? In this youcubed article, professor Jo Boaler describes four other ways to develop number facts and number sense. She also shared a strategy in a recent tweet where a problem is placed in the center of a paper and students use the corners of the page to show four different ways of solving the problem. These kinds of activities get kids to actually think and talk about the math they're doing, rather than just completing problem after problem.

I'm going to bring this up again: If you're recording a grade on practice work, especially if that grade is based on accuracy, it's not practice!! Keep this in mind when deciding how many problems are really necessary to give students the practice they need.

3. Differentiation

Teachers often find that creating leveled packets of work is a simple way to personalize learning for each student. But again, does that have to mean each child gets one of three large, comprehensive packets? Let's look again at the suggestion I made earlier, where handouts (containing information) and worksheets (offering practice) are offered as resources, and students decide which they need. To see this idea fully developed, check out Natalie McCutchen's self-paced math classroom: Students work through units on their own, and they decide how much practice they need before taking the assessments, so some students do a lot, while others do very little.

4. Grade-level Alignment

In some schools, teachers are required to teach the same thing as their grade-level counterparts, on the same day, and document the whole process in detailed, standards-aligned lesson plans. When I talk to teachers about why they're burned out, it's policies like these that they often cite as completely draining them. This type of requirement also causes many of them to resort to teaching entirely with packets: Find a workbook that says it's standards-aligned, then everyone use the same set of pages every week. Done.

This makes for incredibly dry, uninspired learning, and unfortunately, I don't have a good solution for it. My best advice is to share this post with your administrator so they can see the impact that this type of policy is having. I would also urge you to question the integrity of the standards label: Is the packet really getting kids to do what the standard says, or is it a "lighter" version of that? These packets may act as a stopgap for now, but if your team has been using the same set for several years, now may be the time to look more closely at them to see if some pages could be removed and replaced with other activities.

5. Sub Work

When we have substitute teachers, sometimes packets seem to be the only option. This is another tricky one. If you really have no other option, at least do everything you can to make sure the worksheets lean more toward the "powersheet" end of the continuum. Another option that can work if you know you're going to be out ahead of time is to train a few students to lead the class in an actual lesson, then let the sub know that the plan is to let these students teach. This would obviously require a lot of work up front, and you need to have built a classroom culture where students want to behave while you're gone, but I do think it can be done.

6. Crowd Control

In overcrowded classrooms it seems impossible to do anything hands-on, any kind of group work, anything interactive. Worksheets keep everyone in their seat and under control. This, again, is more of a systemic issue that could only truly be solved at the policy level. With that said, I still don't believe worksheets are the only option. Sure, you might not be able to do big, sweeping hands-on stuff, but you can do paired work, set up tasks around the room in stations, or even split the class in half so that only some are doing the "active" work while others are seated and calm, then switch. More than anything, just don't throw in the towel on this.

7. Bell-Ringers & Morning Work

In order to maximize instructional time, we are advised to make sure students have meaningful work to do from the moment they walk into class; hence the birth of the bell-ringer. I have definitely seen the value of a good bell-ringer, and saw a huge difference between the year that I didn't use these and the years that I did. But if that work isn't really meaningful or isn't helping most kids learn, it's a waste. Here are some other options:

Have students do self-selected reading for the first 10 minutes of class.

Give students a great anticipatory set to introduce the day's learning. There are so many options for these, like the thought-provoking images that Christina DeCarbo-Wagners now uses instead of morning work, or the "appetizers" recommended by math teachers Matt Vaudrey and John Stevens in their book, The Classroom Chef.

Establish morning choice: Why not offer students a variety of choices for morning work? In this fantastic post, principal Adam Dovico describes how one teacher made this shift, allowing students to choose between artistic expression, problem solving, computer time, leadership, collaboration, and game time. The big key in making this successful was that she rolled it out slowly, giving students experience with each station first before giving them more freedom to choose later on.

8. Some Kids Like Worksheets

For some students, busysheets give them a nice, calm, quiet activity to pass the time. But this alone is no reason to make them standard fare in your classroom. What you can do is make busysheets an option for free time, as something to do to decompress, or as one of several options students might choose to practice a set of skills or test themselves on some aspect of your content-not for a grade, but for practice.

9. Students Need Fine Motor Practice

Early childhood educators sometimes rely on worksheets for handwriting practice or to have students color, cut, and glue items to develop fine motor skills.

Although worksheets offer one way to give students fine motor practice, there are lots of other ways to do it, too. This post offers 40 ideas for fine motor practice, and this one offers 30 more.

Once a child has gotten to a certain level of fine motor development, do they still need to keep practicing it the same amount as other students?

More Ideas

If you're going to cut down or eliminate your use of packets and worksheets, you'll have a lot more instructional time, and that's a good thing. Here are some things you can do with that time:

The Challenge: Do a Worksheet Audit

Everyone teaches differently, and as we have established, all worksheets are not created equal. There is no single prescription for what kind or how many worksheets you should be using with your students. Only you and your students can know that for sure.

So my challenge to you is simple: From now on, every time you're about to use a worksheet, ask yourself if it's contributing to student learning or if it's actually just keeping them busy. If it's the latter, start replacing your worksheets with better, richer alternatives. Your students will learn better, school will be more fun, and you'll waste a whole lot less time in line at the copy machine. ♦

Come back for more.
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Are your worksheets contributing to meaningful learning, or just keeping students busy?

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Loved learning a fun vocabulary game that I could use instantly in class after hearing this podcast.

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Wanda Terral is the District Technology Coordinator for the Lakeland School System (TN). Terral shares creative ideas for use with Google Drawings.

Google News and Updates

Featured Content

Twenty-three year educator Wanda Terral is the District Technology Coordinator for the Lakeland School System (outside of Memphis, TN). A former band director, Wanda's constantly seeking information relating to techniques & practices related to the use of tech to empower students and educators. A Google Certified Innovator (#GTAATX14) & Trainer, she shares resources on Google+, Twitter, & her blog. She was the 2016 Lead PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovator for the state of Tennessee and was selected to attend the 2016 Google Geo Teachers Institute. She's currently completing her dissertation (EdD in IDT) at the The University of Memphis focusing on self-directed professional learning. When not spending time with her four cats, she is exploring sketchnoting, coding, and following leads of goodness shared by her PLN.

Google Certifications: Google Certified Educator Level 1, Google Certified Educator Level 2, Google Certified Trainer, Google Certified Innovator

Resources
Wanda's Lesson: Hands on Activities with Google Drawings

Meme yourself

Timeline

Graphic organizers

Digital book jacket

Doodle yourself

Googlink (Drawings like Thinglink)

Interactives w/GDraw

Visual notetaking (DTT post)

Self-directed professional learning

Google Teacher Tribe Mailbag

Thank you to Apple Podcast user Southern Eagle Girl for your recent podcast rating and review!

Google Drive question from Nikki in Winnipeg (via Speakpipe)

Sara Campbell from Woodbury Schools asks about using a Google Home in the classroom and COPPA, recording, etc. (via Speakpipe)

On The Blogs

Ask questions or share your feedback

Please Connect with Us

Disclosure

This post may contain links to products or services with which we have an affiliate relationship. We may receive commissions or bonuses from your actions on such links

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Tapping into Creativity with Google Drawings - GTT036 - Google Teacher Tribe Podcast

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Wanda Terral is the District Technology Coordinator for the Lakeland School System (TN). Terral shares creative ideas for use with Google Drawings. Google News and Updates Featured Content Twenty-­three year educator Wanda Terral is the District Technology Coordinator for the Lakeland School System (outside of Memphis, TN).

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What should you do if school isn't really your thing

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What should you do if school isn't really your thing

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very quick podcast about how to encourage students into trying the trades.

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What should you do if school isn't really your thing? Celebrate. There has never been a better time to try every trade. Carpentry, plumbing, electrical, construction, welding, mechanical, etc. Try them all. If you fall in love with one and you can show up on time, you're golden.

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Leader of Learning Podcast..I love Episode 15 in connection to playing the game of school...it is what we talk about when we say kids are good at DOING school!!!  Enjoy!

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Want to catch up on the Leader Of Learning #podcast? In Episode 15, @mssackstein discussed "playing the game of school." Visit http://leaderoflearning.com/lolpodcast or listen on your favorite podcast app! @ascd @edupodnet #ascdl2l #ecet2 #sunchat #T2T #hackingassessment #leaderoflearning

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2 Likes, 1 Comments - Leader Of Learning (@leaderoflearning) on Instagram: "Want to catch up on the Leader Of Learning #podcast? In Episode 15, @mssackstein discussed "playing..."

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Love this!! Baby boomers are looking for ways to retire - trade jobs everywhere - massive opportunity for young people to get into a respected career without 4 years of college.

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Good Tips:
1) Stop worry about test scores and start practicing empathy.
2) Take the time to listen.
3) Love your content.
4) Use teachable moments.
5) Be creative and spontaneous.
6) Improve your lessons.

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This podcast talked about how the teacher had done a different type of lesson every Wednesday that got the students excited about coming to his classroom, especially on Wednesday. He used something different every Wednesday and challenged himself to not repeat the same type of format or lesson he used on a Wednesday every year.
The teacher was not afraid to fail, after all, we fail to learn.

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A great podcast that takes into the account the students' interest in learning and not just having the standards govern our classroom. The bottom line is kids need to be interested in what is being taught or they will not take any ownership for their learning and will tune out.

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Many new ideas of how to structure PD so that it benefits all of people, not just a "one size fits all" approach.

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I haven't actually listened to any of the podcasts yet but I am excited but what I found. Just a short daily podcasts to introduce new tech tools, innovative ideas and so much more. Like I said, I am excited to check it out. Thanks for pushing us Field to keep on exploring and keeping us on the education adventure!

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The 10-minute Teacher Podcast is a show for remarkable teachers. Teacher Vicki Davis interviews extraordinary educators from around the world.
Top Episodes of March 2017
Subscribe Now.

Shows are posted on iTunes and Stitcher at 3am each weekday. Blog posts go live between 5 am and 7 am weekdays and include a full transcript and links. Get show notes by email! Sign up below.

10-Minute Teacher Show Archive

Links will be added when these shows go live. If you want to hear these shows, it may be easiest to subscribe to them above or sign up to get them emailed to you below.

Season 1 Week 13

#65 5 Mistakes that Hurt Standardized Test Scores Dr. Brad Johnson 4/28/2017
#64 Fast Problem Solving and Innovation with Hack Learning Mark Barnes 4/27/2017
#63 Teaching CyberSecurity to Empower Students Again Dr. David Raymond 4/26/2017
#62 Special Needs #edtech treasure chest with Jennifer Cronk 4/25/2017
#61 Combating Emotional Fatigue: A Teacher's occupational Hazard with Joan Flaherty 4/24/2014

Season 1 Week 12

#60 5 Easy Brain Breaks for Your Classroom with Rob Donatelli 4/21/2017
#59 Successful Digital Parenting with Weston Kesichnick 4/20/2017
#58 How the African STEP Dance Ignited Kids at Ron Clark Academy Junior Bernadin at Ron Clark Academy 4/19/2017
#57 Richard Byrne's Most Exciting #Edtech Tools 4/18/2017
#56 Motivating Special Needs Breakthroughs with Jennifer Cronk 4/17/2017

Season 1 Week 11

Season 1 Week 10

Season 1 Week 9

Season 1 Week 8

Season 1 Week 7

Season 1 Week 6

#30 Alex Corbitt on 5 Ideas to Level Up Language Arts for 5 Idea Friday 3/10/2017
#29 Steven Anderson on Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in the Classroom for Thought Leader Thursday 3/9/2017
#28 Kyle Taylor on Saving Big Money with iPads and Google Classroom for Wonderful Wednesday 3/8/2017
#27 Suzy Lolley about Creating Elementary Portfolios with Seesaw for Tech Tool Tuesday 3/7/2017
#26 Josh Harris on How to Have an Attitude to Try New Things on #MondayMotivation 3/6/2017

Season 1 Week 5

Season 1 Week 4

Season 1 Week 3

Season 1 Week 2

Season 1 Week 1

Episode 00: Sue and Mrs Scruggs (and About this Podcast)

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10-Minute Teacher Podcast - @coolcatteacher

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The 10-minute Teacher Podcast is a show for remarkable teachers. Teacher Vicki Davis interviews extraordinary educators from around the world. Subscribe Now. Shows are posted on iTunes and Stitcher at 3am each weekday. Blog posts go live between 5 am and 7 am weekdays and include a full transcript and links.

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Episode 12 - very interesting.
47% of jobs will be eliminated by Smart Tech. 49% of work will be Automated by Tech. This makes problem solving & critical thinking skills a MUST!!

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I have had the opportunity to look into this for our students here at BBE!  What I love about this, is finally students ARE NOT just doing school!  The students that are interviewed are coming to school just because of this class and they are getting far more necessary future ready skills than we are giving them in doing school!  The mindset and growth-set is amazing from the instructor and the collaboration that could be happening with students through this course if we were to offer this to our students!  Looking into this for BBE learners - it is a must!!

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I have had the opportunity to look into this for our students here at BBE!  What I love about this, is finally students ARE NOT just doing school!  The students that are interviewed are coming to school just because of this class and they are getting far more necessary future ready skills than we are giving them in doing school!  The mindset and growth-set is amazing from the instructor and the collaboration that could be happening with students through this course if we were to offer this to our students!  Looking into this for BBE learners - it is a must!!

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FUTUREREADYU

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FutureReadyU With Don Wettrick. by DisruptED

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Professional networking is massively important and this morning my students and I had the opportunity to connect with Don Wettrick and his Innovations students. FutureReadyU.com is Don's new platform for revolutionizing education and the mindsets of our students. If you know a student or child that just thinks differently get them signed up today!

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The Juice that makes Flipgrid even better. Carrie Halvorson

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The Juice that makes Flipgrid even better. Carrie Halvorson

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Matt Miller does a great job of recapping many of the best parts of using Flipgrid with students.  I know mine enjoy watching themselves and their peers recordings.

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Why Are Mass Shootings Happening in U.S. Schools?

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Why Are Mass Shootings Happening in U.S. Schools?

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This podcast had a lot of valid points, made me think what we could be doing in our school to prevent this from happening, and  was frustrating because people did not follow up on tips.

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Why Are Mass Shootings Happening in U.S. Schools?

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Beyond the U.S. gun control debate, another question deserves examination: Why are schools so frequently the sites of mass gun violence in America? We explore the psychology and potential solutions in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Ep. 3 – Does Grading Classroom Participation Put Quiet Kids at a Disadvantage?
Grades based on class participation: unfair to all students, or just introverts? Our panel of experts discuss if teachers should grade on classroom “engagement” instead.
Guests include: Educator Emily J. Klein and Jessica Lahey, teacher and bestselling author of The Gift of Failure

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quiet: the power of introverts with susan cain

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Quiet: The Power of Introverts with Susan Cain by Panoply on Apple Podcasts

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Download past episodes or subscribe to future episodes of Quiet: The Power of Introverts with Susan Cain by Panoply for free.

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Last week I got wrapped up in many of Matt Miller's podcasts from Ditch that Textbook.  I am going to look further into his ideas for using podcasts in the classroom.  This week my students are going to explore various podcasts, and then I am hoping to move into having them create their own.  He suggests using anchor.fm.  Let me know if you have any other ideas!! 

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Last week I got wrapped up in many of Matt Miller's podcasts from Ditch that Textbook.  I am going to look further into his ideas for using podcasts in the classroom.  This week my students are going to explore various podcasts, and then I am hoping to move into having them create their own.  He suggests using anchor.fm.  Let me know if you have any other ideas!! 

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Podcasts can serve a crucial role in preparing your students for the future and helping their learning to be meaningful.

Sound like things you're looking for? You're in the right place.
Plus, you (and your students) can create them for FREE in very little time.
A podcast is kind of like a radio show in your pocket. Podcasts are audio recordings that can be downloaded to a phone, played on a computer or streamed on a device.

Many of them come out on a set schedule: weekly, daily, once every two weeks, etc.
The biggest power of podcasts, in my opinion: They buy you time.
You can learn while driving, cleaning the house, gardening, jogging, etc. Video is very popular, but it can't make that claim, and neither can text reading. They both require your undivided attention.

And as smart speakers - Amazon Echo (Alexa), Google Home and Apple HomePod - grow in popularity, there are more access points for podcasts and other audio mediums.

Why is all of this important for the classroom?

Because it all leads to meaningful learning.

Reason 1: Students do assignments for teachers every day. They turn them in for teachers to see.

If they're creating for that audience of one (the teacher), do we always get their best work?

Not always.

What if we gave their work a greater reach? What if they knew that people they knew - and people they'd never meet - were benefitting from their work?

We're more likely to get students' best work when they have an audience that's important to them.

Reason 2: Our world is craving smart, responsible problem solvers and critical thinkers.

But all of that problem solving and critical thinking doesn't matter if our leaders can't articulate their vision.

If we want our students to be great speakers and communicators, we have to invest classroom minutes in it NOW. If they're going to advocate for change or help others envision an idea, out students - now and in the future - need good communication skills.

They need to develop their voice. And now is the time to do it.

How a podcast can help students develop their voice

Even if you aren't a podcast fanatic (and statistically, you probably aren't), you can still help your students develop their voices for an authentic audience with a podcast.

For free. In just a few minutes each day.

Imagine a class podcast ...

Students synthesize what they're learning into short, bite-sized audio segments.

They record it in their own voices (maybe with a little rehearsing).

They organize the content, add an intro/outro and some transitional sound effects.

They publish the podcast for anyone to hear.

Imagine a student podcast for special projects or Genius Hour ...

Students gather information and prepare for completion of their project.

They chronicle what they're learning with regular audio segments.

They pull it together into episodes of a podcast.

They reflect back over the progress of their project after it's done - and help others learn about the same topic.

Creating a podcast with Anchor

Anchor ( anchor.fm) is a FREE podcast platform.

Record audio with your phone, a tablet or a laptop/desktop computer.

Take "call ins" - record interviews with others for your podcast.

Arrange all of your audio content into an episode.

Add audio effects and music from Anchor's library.

Publish it to multiple platforms, including iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and more.

The terms of use for Anchor are 13+, so classes with students younger than that could create a class podcast that's supervised and moderated by the teacher who IS 13+.

There's some one-time set-up to do before the podcast is ready to go ...

1. Create an account, which can be used on the mobile app for iTunes (iPhone/iPad) and/or for Google Play (Android).

2. Set up the details for your podcast (name, description, cover art, category, etc.). Your students might really enjoy helping with all of these details!

3. Figure out what you want to record with.

1. MICROPHONE: You can use a special microphone (I use the Rode SmartLav with my phone and the ATR-2100 USB mic with my computer). However, I'd recommend using whatever you have OR the embedded mic in your device to get started. My advice: don't invest money before getting started. If you decide later that you'd like something nicer, then upgrade.

2. DEVICE: Having a tablet or deactivated smart phone could be a nice, portable option for recording with the mobile app. Or students could record from a laptop/desktop computer or a Chromebook. Experiment until you find the best fit.

Once your podcast is all set up, here's what you'll do to record:

1. Start recording some audio! Have students plan out what they'd like to say. I recommend Well Spoken, a book by Erik Palmer, to teach students the basics of communicating their message effectively.

2. Record as many audio clips as you need for the episode. They're all saved in Anchor, either in a new episode or in drafts.

3. Produce the podcast episode by putting audio clips in order and adding any music and transition sound effects.

4. Give the episode a title and a summary so listeners will know what to expect.

5. Publish it! The first time you publish, you can decide what podcast platforms to publish to.

Some things to consider when using Anchor:

1. Decide ahead of time what kind of identifying information you want students to share. Your school or district may have a policy on this. Address, phone number, information on their personal digital accounts, etc. shouldn't be shared on the podcast. Decide if they'll go by their first name, their initials, or something else when speaking.

2. You can also listen to podcasts with the Anchor app. There's a WIDE variety of content on Anchor and some includes language and themes that aren't appropriate for the classroom. It's easy to record without listening to other shows on Anchor, but if students start exploring the app, they could find something inappropriate.

So ... who's going to listen to this podcast?

Parents. So often, parents are craving a connection to the classroom. They want to know what their kids are learning. They want some "insider information" when they ask their child, "What did you do in school today?" And when their kids do something cool, they LOVE to brag about it and share it with others. (I know this because I do it with my kids, too!)

Grandparents and other relatives. These relatives might not see their little loved ones that often. Knowing what they're up to and hearing their voices might delight them.

Other classes. You know that teachers love getting inspiration from other teachers. Plus, other classes may listen to your class's podcast to learn from others their age.

Anyone in the world. This is possible when your podcast is available on these popular podcast platforms. Podcasts let you help and connect with people you'll never meet in countries you'll never visit.

With the Google Teacher Tribe podcast I create with Kasey Bell, we get contacted regularly from people all over the United States and in other countries with questions and comments about the podcast. We're CONSTANTLY blown away by the reach of our podcast.

Now's the time ... get started!

Producing a podcast on Anchor is FREE and doesn't take much time to set up.

It can give your students' learning an authentic audience. Plus, it can give them an opportunity to reflect on and think about what they're learning on a different level.

When they teach others, it gives the student a new, deeper perspective on their learning.

You have the tools. You have the know-how.

Give your students a big voice!
Note: I have no relationship with Anchor. I receive no compensation - monetary or otherwise - for mentioning Anchor in this post. It's just a service I use and love and think could be a great asset to teachers and their students! How could you use a podcast in the classroom? If you've done some classroom podcasting, what has been your experience? Share in a comment below! For notifications of new Ditch That Textbook content and helpful links: Interested in having Matt present at your event or school? Contact him by e-mail! Matt is scheduled to present at the following upcoming events:
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Why your students need a podcast: How to do it fast and free - Ditch That Textbook

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Podcasts can serve a crucial role in preparing your students for the future and helping their learning to be meaningful. Sound like things you're looking for? You're in the right place. Plus, you (and your students) can create them for FREE in very little time.

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THE DITCH THAT TEXTBOOK PODCAST...HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE...

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THE DITCH THAT TEXTBOOK PODCAST...HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE...

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Wow, the stats that I found interesting from this Podcast was the book that Keen writes that Matt Miller referenced and how it is stated that more than 47% of our future jobs will be eliminated by smart technology and he says that there is a 2017 report that 49% of the time we will spend working will be automated by technology. The tech is getting better and better very fast with the impact on our lives and the workforce! We need to focus on problem solving and critical thinking even more because we don't know what kinds of jobs people will have in the future or what jobs will even be out there..he states that education needs to be drastically changed with all of this digital technology!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ditch-that-textbook-podcast-education-teaching-edtech/id1352219394?mt=2&i=1000405623666

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6 ways to stop worrying about problems before they happen- EP110

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6 ways to stop worrying about problems before they happen- EP110

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Truth for Teachers
This podcast is geared towards teachers who worry and have anxiety often. It talks about techniques you can use to overcome anxiety and problems as they come up.  There were some really great ideas for people like me who worry about everything!
Katie Jenks

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Classroom Hacks: Google Edition – GTT045

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Classroom Hacks: Google Edition – GTT045

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Google Hacks podcast with Matt Miller from ditch that textbook. Loved that it talks about how to add google keep to other google products like slides or docs. Could be used like a checklist or rubric for older students.

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As educators, we sometimes need to break out the duct tape or channel our inner MacGyver.

Google News and Updates

Featured Content

As educators, we sometimes need to break out the duct tape or channel our inner MacGyver. Today, Matt and Kasey share some great Google based hacks!

If you have your own favorite hacks we'd love to know what they are. Leave a comment below this post or send us a message.

Google Teacher Tribe Mailbag

"I have to go get my copy!" (Sienna Griggs - via SpeakPipe)

Carol McLaughlin (2nd-grade teacher in Alabama)

Kelly Davis (Chemistry, Downingtown East HS) - I would like to add pictures to feedback (my drawings, not a URL). Is this an option?

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Classroom Hacks: Google Edition - GTT045 - Google Teacher Tribe Podcast

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As educators, we sometimes need to break out the duct tape or channel our inner MacGyver. Google News and Updates Featured Content As educators, we sometimes need to break out the duct tape or channel our inner MacGyver. Today, Matt and Kasey share some great Google based hacks!

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Informative podcast on Early Child Care and Education and how that impacts our society...
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/early-care-and-education-with-vickey-la-motte/id1105518851?i=1000404113616&mt=2

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Ditch That Textbook - Episode 009 : GIFs  Carrie Halvorson

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Ditch That Textbook - Episode 009 : GIFs  Carrie Halvorson

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Talks about how you can personally create your own animated GIF.

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Episode 90

This particular Podcast talked a lot about professional development and the way that it is changing. It is becoming much more teacher driven, and personal. I loved some of the ideas. They sounded interesting and exciting! It was easy to listen to this Podcast!!

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Talking Community Engagement with BBE.
Makes me so proud to be on a team with the wonderful people in this podcast! Doing what’s best for our kids’ future!

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DisruptED Podcast by Tyler Gehrking on Apple Podcasts

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Download past episodes or subscribe to future episodes of DisruptED Podcast by Tyler Gehrking for free.

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THE DITCH THAT TEXTBOOK PODCAST - EPISODE TODAY 2/5/18 - STUDYING THE WAY THE BRAIN CAVES

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THE DITCH THAT TEXTBOOK PODCAST - EPISODE TODAY 2/5/18 - STUDYING THE WAY THE BRAIN CAVES

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Loved the idea of not putting information into the brain, but dumping it out of the brain for info retrieval...students participate in a digital brain dump by using Flipgrid! I love these short informative podcasts by Matt Miler!

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ditch that textbook podcast :: education

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Ditch That Textbook Podcast :: Education, teaching, edtech :: #DitchPod by Ditch That Textbook / Anchor on Apple Podcasts

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Download past episodes or subscribe to future episodes of Ditch That Textbook Podcast :: Education, teaching, edtech :: #DitchPod by Ditch That Textbook / Anchor for free.